Tag Archives: Penn State

As part of our Day in the Life series, Gary Dolan, Director of Environmental Services at The Village at Penn State, shares how he created a culture that defines excellence in service. Here is Gary’s story:

I’ve been very fortunate to have a position that is constantly evolving and presenting new opportunities to learn. The Village is always a beehive of activity, especially in the areas I get to work in. Within my job I oversee housekeeping, laundry, and the facilities side such as maintenance, security and all the work done on 60 acres of grounds. My department also works closely with Liberty’s IT staff to make sure all our tech is running smoothly.

In the past several years, with all the construction going on, I’ve also been working with Dave DeLuca, Liberty’s Director of Real Estate Development, which has been so rewarding given his knowledge. It’s been a great few years with the addition of the completed community room and connector hallway. Now, with the construction of a new main entrance lane, our Commons building expansion, Palmer Park and the new cottages that surround it, another round of development is underway. We also manage renovations to current apartments. I really appreciate what my team is able to do there and how creative they can be.

Managing the grounds is always interesting for us. For example, when the starlings roost at the University’s football stadium and their staff chases them away, they fly right to our campus. So we need to manage that when they try to take up residence on our buildings.

Being so close to Penn State, we have a lot of very intelligent, engaged and active people living here, some of whom are retired academics that desire to be sincerely involved in some of the day to day operations. Being that the University has its roots in agriculture, a lot of our residents are particularly knowledgeable about managing plants and grounds. Some of them are master gardeners. It’s always interesting to learn from them and to get their feedback on caring for things, such as different hand pruning techniques, and what specific fertilizers we should be using on certain plants and not on others. The residents aren’t shy about sharing that insight, so I’ve been very lucky to learn from them.

I am very proud of our amazing staff. There is no way I could oversee everything this position calls for without their help. They’re always going the extra mile. The key thing is that we’re not in a silo. We have oversight of an entire campus and when someone has a problem it’s our problem too, because we often have the ability to remedy the situation or at least lend a hand.

Everything that you can see, feel, touch, and smell at The Village has to do with our work. Whether it’s the lights or phones, or helping fix something in the gym or the kitchen, we deal with everything that has to do with the quality of life at The Village. So the day-to-day can be an adventure, and not to be cliché but in my entire time here, no day is ever the same. I love it. There is not one single day, when it comes to 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon that I don’t truly wish it was 10:00 in the morning because there is so much to do. The days just fly by.

We are here for our residents and it’s so important that they know that. We can’t just show up to work and do our job on the grounds, or the laundry, or maintenance. We are caregivers just as much as anyone else and it’s important to remember that when it comes to the service we provide, I’m fortunate to work with people who truly believe that. It’s not just about fixing a sink or a light; it’s about providing help in all areas to create a positive experience in all outcomes. I love that our team has pride in service.

I have the opportunity to learn from residents every day. I just really appreciate the amount of learning this job continues to provide from both them and the people I get to work with.

One other thing I’d like to note is that the Association for the Healthcare Environment, which is a peer group of the American Hospital Association, has been critical in my career within this industry. I was fortunate to serve as national president of the association in 2011 and again in 2016 throughout 2017. Liberty Lutheranhas been so supportive of my involvement and I am very thankful for that. It’s wonderful being able to work for a group of people that recognize opportunities for professional and personal growth. They know it’s key to the entire organization, not just the individual.

To learn more about The Village at Penn State, Palmer Park, and the new cottages, please visit RetireatPennState.org.

Construction has begun on the highly anticipated Palmer Park at The Village at Penn State. Designed and completed by the Arnold Palmer Design Company, the first-of-its-kind fully landscaped park, gardens and beautiful walking trails will offer residents unparalleled outdoor space for year-round activities, recreation and al fresco dining.

The senior living community is dedicated to providing a wealth of healthy experiences for retired adults seeking an active and engaging lifestyle. Thanks to a suite of services, including independent living, personal care, rehabilitation and skilled nursing, residents are able to ‘age in place’ throughout all stages of their retirement.

With the addition of Palmer Park at The Village, residents seeking to continue their robust lifestyle choices can step outside to hone their golf skills on the professionally contoured synthetic grass putting green and practice area. The Park also has space for residents to delight in a game of bocce, stroll the walkway through world-class gardens, and partake in morning meditation on the multi-purpose fields.

A magnificent pergola and fire pit accent the new Creamery Terrace where residents can revel in al fresco dining with views of Palmer Park’s fields and golf putting greens. Focused on resident nutrition and using fresh, local-sourced ingredients, the Village’s exquisite restaurant-style fine dining allows for a stunning experience that rivals the region’s fine dining establishments. Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream will also be available on-site in a variety of flavors for residents, family and friends to enjoy on the terrace, on the walking paths, or while relaxing on one of the many sitting areas throughout the Park.

Located on the doorstep of Penn State’s campus, residents of the Village enjoy a special relationship with the University and the students. The Village provides transportation to lectures, sporting and cultural events, and to downtown State College. Students also regularly visit The Village, bringing their youth and energy to an already vibrant community. With this in mind, Palmer Park is distinctly designed for residents of The Village to be active in a very unique outdoor setting.

PalmerPark at The Village at Penn State showcases how the community continues to offer unparalleled services to people who want to stay fit and active through their retirement.

Click here to schedule a tour to learn more about all the new developments happening at The Village at Penn State.

Sally Wangness, a resident at The Village at Penn State, is the unofficial documentarian of construction of the community’s new connector hallway and community room. Since construction began in August 2017, she has been snapping photos to follow the progress. “The photos are mounted on an easel outside the main dining room with a description,” said Sally. “I love being able to keep everyone informed on the progress of these much anticipated additions.”

The brisk pace of construction on the hallway and community room means the exterior walls are complete and the interior is taking shape. Interior rooms- such as the kitchen area, restrooms, audio/visual space, and the stage- have been roughed out and wiring and plumbing are now being installed. Sally marvels at the pace of the construction. “Each time I come here with Ellen Corbin, executive director of the Village, there is something new to see. Ellen has been so gracious in letting me photograph the progress.”

With a raised stage and seating for up to 165 guests, the new community room will allow more residents to partake in the variety of activities offered at The Village. The new connector hallway will make it much easier to visit family and friends in the Atrium as it links the main residence with the personal care community.

Careful planning on account of the fickle State College weather has kept the progress on track according to Dave DeLuca, Liberty Lutheran’s director of real estate development. “The weather in late 2017 did make it a challenge,” said Dave, “To prepare for that, our team did its homework and we still expect to complete construction by early spring.”

New construction will also being soon on Palmer Park and six park-adjacent cottages. Palmer Park is a first-of-its kind fully landscaped park and gardens, featuring professionally contoured golf putting and practice areas, a village green and a multi-purpose area for many recreational activities. Theluxurious cottages will include two bedrooms and two-full bathrooms, an open floor plan with 1,800 square feet of living space, vaulted ceilings, and dramatic windows that feature views of the beautiful Palmer Park.

In 2014, Sally also documented the construction of The Atrium, The Village’s personal care community. When the groundbreaking on Palmer Park and the cottages occurs, Sally plans on being there to capture that progress as well.